A few ways to ham up leftovers

December 21, 2009

KITCHEN SYNC TIM CARRIGAN I think Christmas, like Thanksgiving, is a lot of fun to prepare for when dealing with the meal. I would rather cook and plan a feast than fight the crowds at the store. Every family has a different Christmas tradition for the meal. I have talked to people who serve a wide range of interesting foods. One guy said that every year, for as long as he could remember, his family would have a Christmas goose. We never did, so I was curious what they had with it. He said they made a wild rice stuffing and steamed broccoli. They also had sweet potato casserole and assorted desserts. It sounds good to me. I am not a huge goose fan, but if I only had to eat it once a year I could do it. He also talked about making a turducken. If you have never heard of this, it is quite the meal. It is a boneless chicken stuffed in a boneless duck, which is stuffed in a boneless turkey and then baked. To me that is a lot of stuffing and a lot of work that I am not willing to do and a lot of money that I would spend just to hear my kids say, "Gross, I am not eating that." My family keeps it real simple: ham, potato salad, sweet potatoes and dessert. It sounds simple, but it doesn't have to be complicated to be good. My favorite is having ham with horseradish that is so hot it makes you sweat. To me the best part of Christmas dinner is the next day or even later that night. I love fresh rye bread with sliced ham and horseradish and some potato salad. The key to a relaxing holiday is to plan your meals for the following days so you can avoid the rush of the day-after sales. If you have lots of ham left, here are a few ideas that might help: Sliced ham with pineapple slices and cheddar cheese, or "piecheeham" as my wife's family calls it. I know it sounds strange, but it is very good; A great potato, ham and bean soup with some fresh cornbread will last for a few days; This is also a great opportunity to pull out the breakfast for dinner meal. Fried ham with eggs and toast is a great meal and it is stuff that is in the refrigerator anyhow. Have a wonderful and safe holiday. Just remember not to get stressed. It's time with your family, and it will be over soon. Chef Tim Carrigan is executive chef at the Fernwood Cafe at Fernwood Botanical Garden and Nature Preserve in Niles. Kitchen Sync is a weekly column featuring Chef Tim's food musings and answers to readers' cooking questions. Send your questions to Chef Tim via e-mail at cafe@fernwoodbotanical.org or by mail at 13988 Range Line Road, Niles MI 49120.